Desktops and Notebooks: HP EliteBook, Business Laptops Aim for Power, Ruggedness

HP EliteBook, Business Laptops Aim for Power, Ruggedness

by Nicholas Kolakowski

Enterprise Rugged

For its newest line of enterprise-centric notebooks, HP aimed for a more industrialized design language, using stamped aluminum and stripping away unnecessary design elements.

Strong Touch

With its EliteBook p-series business notebooks, HP included a chemically strengthened glass touch-pad that allows for gesture control, including pinch and rotate.

Size

The EliteBook p-series offers either a 14- or 15.6-inch screen. Pricing starts at $999, with units expected on store shelves March 15.

Security Camera

The EliteBook p-series offers some stringent security features, including a fingerprint reader and facial-recognition software that uses the webcam to scan the users features.

Environmentally Friendly

HP claims its laptops aluminum shells are more environmentally friendly, since stamped metals can be recycled, and are more durable for road warriors.

Easy Access Door

HP streamlined the underside of the EliteBook, with a single access door for the devices inner workings. A security screw allows IT administrators to physically prevent employees from easily accessing the laptops hardware.

Processing Power

For its EliteBook p-series, ProBook s-series and ProBook b-series, HP is offering the full range of Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. (The ProBook s-series and ProBook b-series are also available with Intel Celeron processors.)

Brushed Aluminum

Brushed aluminum (as seen here on this ProBook s-series model) also prevents fingerprint smudging.

QuickWeb

For its business notebooks, HP has installed a QuickWeb button for speedy, one-press access to e-mail, Web widgets and the like.

Bigger

The touch-pad on HPs s-series laptops has been enlarged for easier gesture controls.

B-series

HP envisions its b-series as a fleetbox for the enterprise, the sort of device that can be distributed to broad swaths of employees. Features include an HD webcam, SRS premium sound, and HP Power Assistant for longer battery life.

S-series and b-series

The s-series (left) and b-series (right) are just two of the systems that HP hopes will give it the public perception of cool in its marketplace battles against not only Dell and other Windows-based laptop manufacturers, but also Apple.

S-series

HP is targeting the s-series at SMBs that manage their own IT, and whose employees might use the devices for both professional and personal use.

A Variety of Sizes

HPs s-series laptops are offered in a range of display sizes, from 13.3 to 17.3 inches. Available March 15, prices on these units start at $579.